Shoe-holder.



Patented Sent. ll, |900.

No. 657,634.' E. A. WILCX.

SHOE HOLDER.

(Applicafton led Jan. 29, 1990.)

(H o Model.)

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` UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ELMER A. VVILCOX, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T() THOMAS G. CONNOR, OF SAME PLACE.

SHOE-HOLDER.

SPECIFICATION forming' part of Letters Patent N0. 657.634, dated September 11, 1900.

Application filed January 2 9, 1900. Serial No. 3,075. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, ELMER A. WILCOX, a citizen of the United States, residing in Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Shoe-Holders for Boot-Blacks Use, of which the following is a specification.

My aim in this invention has been to devise a holder for boot-blacks use adapted not only to support a shoe off the foot While it is being polished, but also to distend the shoe-upper so as to facilitate the shining operation.

The principal features of the invention relate to the means employed fordistending the shoe-upper, and the nature of the invention is fully disclosed in the subjoined description and is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure lis a perspective of my device, partly broken away. Fig. 2 is a horizontal' section through the distending parts, and Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line oc of Fig. 2.

In said drawings, A denotes a bracket provided with a set-screw A', whereby the holder may be secured while in use to a table or other convenient support. In one piece with this bracket is a metal frame consisting of a vertical back piece B and a forwardly-projecting tubular piece C. The piece B sets against the rear of the shoe when the device is in use, and in the piece C is a longitudinallymovable slide D, carrying the footforms hereinafter mentioned and controlled by a long screw E, supported at its lower end in said tubular part C and at its upper end in a projection E of the metal back piece B, the slide being connected to the screw by bars F F, joined to the opposite sides of the slide by the pin F'and at their upper ends to a nut F2, moving on the screw. The upper end of the screw is adapted to receive a wrench, and preferably the same wrench should fit the setscrew A.

It will be noticed from the description thus far given that by moving the nut F2 down on the screw the slide D will be forced outward from tube C. Y

The slide D is slotted from side to side for fa part of its length, as shown at D', and this slot I pivot to arms G and G' by means of a vertical pivot G2, the arms being arranged one above the other in the slot. These arms are employed to su pport the expansible forms H and H', which unitedly are shaped much like the forward portion of a shoe-last. The forms are pivotally united to the ends of the arms by pivots H2, located centrally of the inner surfaces of the forms and in enlargements J. The arms are L-shaped, as plainly illustrated, in order to avoid interference with the bars F and also to position the pivots Ilf3 laterally of the plane of the pivot G2, and thus enable the forms to yield readily to the resistance which their points encounter when forced against the toe of the shoe. This resistance causes the arms to swing on the pivot Gg, and thus carry the forms laterally in the expanding or distending movement. In this movement the rear ends of the forms are likely to move sidewise before the points; but as soon as the ends come against the sides of the shoe they react on the points and force the latter out, so that the forms readily adjust themselves to the size and shape of the shoe, and thus so fill the upper as to keep it properly distended for shining purposes. The screw should be kept turning until this condition is arrived at. It is not necessary that both forms should move alike in expanding, as it sometimes happens that one may expand more than the other; but as a rule that will not prevent them from efficiently serving their intended purpose. It will be understood that when the shoe is put upon the holder the back of frame ineinber B sets up against the inside surface of the back of the shoe, so that the lat-ter cannot move forward with the forms.

The sides of the tubular member Care cut away opposite the slot D', as shown at C', in order to permit the form-supporting arms to be reversed, as shown in the case of one of them in Fig. 2 in broken lines. This permits the forms to move back and close against said tubular member for convenience in carrying, shipping, or storage. The forms are made hollow as far as possible to lighten their Weight.

The operation of the device is as follows: Supposing the holder to be secured to a support with the parts in the position shown in Fig. 2, the shoe is positioned with the forms IOO looking. towardthe toes and the fianiememf` f ber against the back.v The screw 4isfh'er-if4 turned so as to lower the nut and force the slide and forms forward into the shoe. When the forms come against the toe, they expand l and adjust themselves to the interior of the the shoe is being polished. 'llo'7 remove the'L shoe, the forms are ret raeted by reversing the screw.

The holder is adapted to be used Wtl all" sizes of shoes.

I claim- 1. The combination in a shoe-bolder of a" i frame, a vertical screw, a slide actuatedl by i" said screw by means of a nut and bars F, forms H and H', and arms'eon'neeting.' said forms to the slide, substantially as speeiied..

2.y Theeombi-nation inashoe-hold'er of a V, ward inthe shoe, substantially as specified.

ELMER A. WILCOX.

Witnesses:

EDW. S.v EVARTS,

H. `M; MUN-DAY.

frame,y a vertiea'l' screw,l af slide actuated by zo' the shoe, and means for moving the forms for- 3o 

